NEWS: Counterculture Author Hunter S. Thompson Commits Suicide

From one son of journalism, to a demi-god in the field; you'll truly be missed.

I'm going to pick up his latest book........even if it is a predictable response in the face of a recent passing.....
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.R.I.P.

I do wonder why everyone's busy reporting on his past accomplishments and not asking themselves WHY he committed suicide.. he wasn't an unintelligeable(sp?) person...

"No sir, not a chance. Mr. Jones does not even pretend to know what's happening in America Right now, and neither does any-one else..."

(Was he talking about Alex Jones? lol)... .[I know he wasn't, I'm just joking]

I just wonder if there was a note or anything... stating why he killed himself..

A close Friends indicates that Thompson had been in alot of pain following a broken leg and hip surgery.

ASPEN, Colo. - While Hunter S. Thompson's suicide shocked many in his out-of-the-way neighborhood, one of his closest friends said Monday the writer had been in a lot of pain after a broken leg and hip surgery.

I wasn't surprised," said George Stranahan, a former owner of the Woody Creek Tavern, one of Thompson's favorite hangouts. "I never expected Hunter to die in a hospital bed with tubes coming out of him."
Suicide

Originally posted by dnero6911
I do wonder why everyone's busy reporting on his past accomplishments and not asking themselves WHY he committed suicide.. he wasn't an unintelligeable(sp?) person...

I suspect that he was either wildly depressed over the current political situation (he does seem to get hyperbolic and overly dramatic in his writtings) whcih would be exacerbated by chronic drug and alcohol use. OR, and I do think this is a reasonable possibility, he accidentally killed himself. He played around with high powered guns quite a bit apparently. I've never heard of him accidentally shooting himself before (tho he did accidentally shoot an assistance recently), but that doesn't rule it out as a possiblity.

Per FredT's update, perhaps he was one some painkillers tho that resulted in muddle headedness and depression?

The man was, afterall, a walking drug cocktail. No telling what the addition of another drug could result in.

[edit on 22-2-2005 by Nygdan]

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - US author Hunter S. Thompson, who committed suicide last weekend, wanted to exit this world in a style befitting his extraordinary life: being fired from a cannon, a friend revealed.


The larger-than-life writer of "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" stated in his will that he wanted his ashes to be fired out of a cannon following his funeral, plans for which have yet to be announced.


"I believe he wanted to be shot out of a cannon," friend Troy Hooper told AFP.
Cannon

When I read, "Generation of Swine", my overall impression was of a man who was capable of far greater works of social commentary, but could not be bothered. He was a brilliant mind, an acute observer, an ascerbic wit, and a true iconoclast. "Swine" was full of thought provoking comments, but looked like he just threw it together in a week and handed it to his publisher. Not that I see that as a negative, I am sure he had better things to do than edit and cholate old notes, memo's, and letters.
I see no dishonour in his taking his own life, that is his choice, and not for me to judge.
Thank you Mr. Thompson, for being straightforward, open, blunt, and always letting us know exactly what you felt about things. I felt that you were a man of your word, and that is a quality we could use more of these days.
Peace bro

I have read alot of HST and i think i may have something to add on to why he has killed himself, this will sound out there, but it proaly had some contribuiting factor.

1. He loved football, the sunday he killed himself on was the 1st sunday with no football
2. He lost an termende amount of money this year in betting
3. He hates Bush
4. With the football season finnished and NHL in lockout, and the NBA being what it was, he decided its time to go.

I read his colums in EPSN the first day they always came out, he loved football, and the Raiders, the raiders are in huge rebuilding and fooball is done for 8 months, we'll let you rest Doc.

This was something I wrote in another thread(duplicate) because I couldn't find this one. Sensefan suggested I post it here as well, and I am taking that advice. I hate that I posted so late on this, but I've only been able to actually sit down at my PC 2 times this weeks, for about 5-6 minutes each.

Anyways, I really respected HST, in fact, my whole family did. Turned on to his wit and style by my twin brother when we were 13. We basically built a religion around Mr. Thompson's thoughts and style.

This fanatacism was initially shunned by our parents and other "authority figures" relevant to our life. In the true nature of truth, understanding, and genuine individuality, we continued our facination with his thoughts and work.

This slowly brought his brand of logic to our parents, who finally read into his words, and allowed them to realize that logic can be tempered with emotion, passion for a subject leads to truth, and that society en masse conforms way too easily to convetions that most never care to question.

Hunter S. Thompson was a person who viewed everything from a different vantage point. No matter what mainstream theory was forced on society, he would always look at "the other angles" of the situation, walk up to it, bang around on it, and find where he was comfortable sitting. More of us should live that way.

Anyway...

That's right the Granddaddy of Gonzo Journalism has passed on.

In what appears to be a suicide, Hunter S. Thompson was found dead Sunday.

Known by many people for many different reasons. He best captivated the nation with his unique style of journalism which was a hybrid form of attentive listening, stright shooting reports, and true passion.

Others are more familiar with him via any one of his books, each worth your time just for the chance to see such a interesting mind in naked form.

There was also the instant classic: Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas, where HST was portrayed by Johnny Depp, and showed a small segment from his life as he tried to live, and much more was shown in how he was viewed by mainstream society. Well worthy of anyone's collections.

Anyway, I must say I am deeply saddened by his passing. I did not know him personally, although I had met him once. I find suicide to be rather strange as a route for him. My conspiratorial instincts jump at the chance he was bumped off. But the majority of my mind doubts that as true.

Regardless, I wanted to pay my respects by this post, as well as provide the following link to a 2003 interview that I find interesting in regards to this outcome.
www.democracynow.org.../02/23/164218

Peace to you Mr. Thompson, Those true individuals and free thinkers of many generations share some of their spirit with you.

X

Originally posted by Xatnys

Regardless, I wanted to pay my respects by this post, as well as provide the following link to a 2003 interview that I find interesting in regards to this outcome.
www.democracynow.org.../02/23/164218

Peace to you Mr. Thompson, Those true individuals and free thinkers of many generations share some of their spirit with you.

X

Thanks Xatnys. Very interesting. Most interesting and even more interesting. ...He basically predicted his own murder by "suicide."



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may the wind always be at his back, and the road rise to meet his feet
as he walks to the other side of the clearing...

he was at peace friends... he just wanted to go out while he still was on top, rather than as a weak and fragile old man...

he felt his work was done, while i don't agree... it was a choice he made freely...

fairwell to the original party animal...

for those that haven't seen "Fear and loathing in Las Vegas... you owe it to the legend to do so... and remember while watching... he lived it... we just watched it...

RIP wildman...

TKainZero: Outstanding observation. I am in agreement with you. This time of year is flat from a sports perspective and is one of the most depressing for NFL fans (particularly Raiders fans) who aren't into basketball. For a spontaneous suicide like that, I think he just got tired and said "screw it". Maybe he should've waited to see what the Raiders do wit' Randy Moss, eh?

HST did a lot for those who seek truth. I am certain he's moved on to something better. God bless you, Mr. T.

"I am Ahab!"

Originally posted by soficrow

Originally posted by Xatnys

Regardless, I wanted to pay my respects by this post, as well as provide the following link to a 2003 interview that I find interesting in regards to this outcome.
www.democracynow.org.../02/23/164218

Peace to you Mr. Thompson, Those true individuals and free thinkers of many generations share some of their spirit with you.

X

Thanks Xatnys. Very interesting. Most interesting and even more interesting. ...He basically predicted his own murder by "suicide."



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My pleasure soficrow.

I thought it was a tad strange, to say the least.

Be interesting to see how far that rabbit hole goes, eh?

X

www.prisonplanet.com...

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ATS is the work of the intelligence services and i claim my $5.

the quality of this place has gone down since it was compartmentalized, it used to be that you could post and thousands would see it, now?

the truth is covered up through "admin changes"

the people who run this board are Wankers.

Hunter S Thompson´s ashes fired into the sky.


Cheers!

Originally posted by spliff4020

Originally posted by Jonna
I don't believe it! I never thought he would go out like that.

Funny, but somehow, its exactly how I though he would go. I couldnt see him laying in a hospital bed clinging to some shred of life. He went out on his own terms. The same as he lived....RIP Hunter...

Yea what do you think he's gonna do sit around in a retirement community? Heh, dude this guy was a total psycho I heard he called his wife, told her he was going to blow his brains out, and then did just so, without even hanging up ....

I had a roommate in college who's dream was to become Hunter Thompson. He used to do all sorts of various mind altering substances a la Las Vegas, and write ... he was a pyscho too. Frankly, my first thought was hmmm i wonder if Arun's going to follow suit ...

Do you think he would want to read a bunch of pansy posters telling the world how SAD they were about it?! HAA!

Definately an original any way you slice it